Time Will Tell
by nerdyminions
Summary: Harry is fed up with the way things are working out! He decides to go back in time and spill all the secrets of the future. No excuses and no regrets. Join him in his journey to save his family and find what love truly feels like. Trigger Warning! Suicidal!Harry! Abused!Harry(Dursleys) Harry/Sirius Slash!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello readers! This first chapter will be a short one to introduce the story. I hope you all enjoy and please leave feedback and tell me what you think.  
**

 **Some things you should know before reading:**

 **-This story begins during the summer after 5th year. The dreaded year Sirius dies!**

 **-In this story, the Dursleys' abuse is more intense than it is in canon.**

 **-This is Harry/Sirius slash!**

 **-Trigger warning! Suicide will be mentioned in this story!**

 **Happy reading!**

"Remus, please don't try and stop me," Harry said, rushing around the room and throwing his things into his trunk. Remus was exasperatedly trying to reason with him. "Harry, you can't do this! It's not only illegal but extremely dangerous! Please don't make me lose you too!" Remus shouted, stopping Harry in his tracks. "Remus…" Harry turned to face the older man and, to Remus's surprise, had tears welled in his eyes. "I have a confession to make," Harry started, sitting on the bed and pulling Remus with him. Harry hesitated for a moment before he began to talk. "This past year...well, I have had a rough go of things. My mind has started going to this place that scares me so much and I've become obsessed with...I've been considering suicide." Harry wasn't sure how else to put it and he winced at the sound of the word, afraid of the affect it would have on Remus. Sure enough, Remus let out an audible gasp and it was barely a second before Harry felt himself being pulled into a bone-crushing hug. He stiffened as Remus squeezed the still fresh cuts and bruises on his back. He was able to put a believable glamour charm on his face and arms so Remus didn't know there was anything wrong with him, but that didn't take away the pain.

"No, Harry, no, no," Remus chanted semi-hysterically, rocking himself and Harry back and forth as he whimpered into Harry's hair. After a moment, Remus pulled away. "You can't take your own life, Harry James! How would Sirius and your parents feel if you…" Remus couldn't finish that sentence. "I know, Remus," Harry assured, picking at a loose string in his trousers. "I've just been feeling this way more and more since Sirius's death, and well...this was the alternative that I came up with," Harry shrugged. He could see the hesitation in Remus's gaze. "Remus, this is something I have to do. I have to get them back for both of us. Please, just trust me, and whatever you do...don't tell Dumbledore." Harry finished, looking at Remus to gauge his reaction. Finally Remus took a deep breath. "I won't tell Dumbledore. But Harry, you be careful! And always know that I, Sirius, and your parents love you no matter what," Remus said, tears beginning to trek down his face. "I know. I love you too," Harry said, biting his lip. He thought he loved Remus. He tried to love Remus, but after nearly two decades of living with the Dursleys, Harry wasn't sure he truly knew what it felt like to love another person or to be loved by another person. After a final squeeze from Remus, Harry stood, throwing the remainder of his things into his trunk and grabbing Hedwig's cage. "I'll see you on the flip side," Harry tried, giving Remus a sad smile. With that, he flicked the time turner and that was that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

 **Woot! Second chapter! This chapter is considerably longer than the first and this will probably be the norm for all of the others. Thanks to those that are reading, following, favoriting, and especially reviewing. If you review with a signed in account, I will respond at the end of the chapter. Thank you and happy reading!**

Harry realized too late that the time turner would return him to the place where he used it. "Crap!" he exclaimed, annoyed at having already hit a road block. Luckily there was a fireplace in the room and Harry quickly flooed his things to the Gryffindor Common Room. He realized somewhere in the back of his mind that he should have joined his things at Hogwarts, but curiosity got the better of him. He quietly walked over to the door and pulled it open, checking the hallway to make sure it was clear. He walked around a bit, trying his best not to make a sound. If it was at all possible, Harry would say that this place was even more dark and depressing than it was in his time. There was dark arts supplies lying around everywhere. Harry didn't dare touch anything in case it might be cursed or jinxed.

As he passed one bedroom, he heard rather loud music blasting through the door. It was a horrible song about pureblood girls and pureblood boys being perfect and whatnot. Harry saw that this was Regulus's room as his name was engraved in the door. However, despite the music, another sound struck his ears from just down the hall. Screaming. Not angry or scared screaming. No, this was very different. A scream that unfortunately, Harry felt himself being quite familiar with. Harry pulled his wand from his sleeve and darted towards the sounds, his stomach dropping as he realized it was coming from the room marked 'Sirius.' He opened the door slowly, glad that Mrs. Black had her back to the door. "YOU FILTHY TRAITOR! HOW DARE YOU! I DIDN'T RAISE YOU TO BEFRIEND DIRTY MUDBLOODS! YOU ARE NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT DISGUSTING GIRL EVER AGAIN! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Young Sirius was crumbled in a heap on the floor at Mrs. Black's feet. Harry wondered what she'd already done to him considering he was shaking like a leaf and he was sure that it had been him screaming only seconds ago. "She is my friend and my best mate's girlfriend! I'll talk to her whenever I please! And, yes! I can hear you as well as the man on the moon!" Sirius said defiantly. Harry's heart jumped as he realized that he was most likely talking about his mum. "WHY YOU LITTLE-" Mrs. Black sputtered coldly before raising her wand on Sirius. "CRUCIO!" Sirius let out the same gut wrenching scream that he had earlier, writhing and thrashing on the floor, his young, handsome face contorted in immense pain that Harry knew all too well.

Harry took advantage of her ignorance to his presence and disarmed her. She wheeled around looking absolutely livid as Sirius stopped screaming and panted on the floor. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" she screamed. "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO CORRUPTED THIS TRASH OF A SON I'M STUCK WITH! YOU ARE THE ONE THAT TURNED HIM INTO THIS PIECE OF FILTH! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE HERE!" Harry had no idea what she was going on about but didn't really care at the moment. He sent a stunner her way and finally entered the room once she fell backwards with a thud on the floor. Wasting no time, Harry knelt in front of Sirius. "Are you alright?" he asked frantically, not sure how long Mrs. Black had made him endure the curse before he had found them. "You shouldn't have come, James. She could have hurt you," Sirius said, his voice, despite the screaming he had just done, was much clearer than it had been in the future, and once Sirius finally looked up from the floor, Harry could see how truly handsome he had been.

"Prongs! What on earth happened to your face!?" Sirius exclaimed, looking at him with wide and concerned eyes. Harry cursed himself, completely forgetting that time travel removed any glamours a wizard had up. He currently had several nasty bruises, a severely swollen eye, and a busted lip on display, not to mention a ton of cuts and bruises that were now visible on his hands and arms. "It's a long story," Harry mumbled. "And I'm not James. It's a long story and I'm a friend, I promise. Right now we just need to get you out of here," Harry finished, shooting a nasty look at Sirius's mother. "Are you related to James?" Sirius asked, and Harry nodded, standing to help gather Sirius's things. However, once he was upright, he swayed on the spot, the pain in his back intensifying for a moment. It only took a second for Sirius to stand and put a steadying hand on his shoulder and the other on his hip. "Who did this to you?" Sirius asked, his tone angry and concerned. "It doesn't matter," Harry mumbled, receiving a tisking noise from Sirius. Sirius gently brought his hand to Harry's face, causing the smaller boy to flinch slightly, before relaxing into his touch. Sirius ran a thumb under the dark bruise around his eye, giving him a reassuring smile. It was no wonder Remus described Sirius as magnetically radiant. He was the kind of person that was very easy to feel comfortable with very quickly.

"What is your name?" Sirius asked, still stroking Harry's cheek with his thumb. "Harry," he said, blushing at their proximity. "Well, Harry, _you_ are going to sit down on the bed while I get my things together." Harry began to protest but Sirius held up a finger. "I don't know how bad you're injured. For all I know, I may need to carry you from here on out," Sirius's tone was teasing, but Harry could tell that he wasn't joking about sitting down. "You were just subjected to the Cruciatus," Harry protested, Sirius merely shrugged. "I'm over it now. _You_ ," he punctuated by tapping Harry's nose lightly with his finger, "are injured. So please sit or I will be absolutely fraught with worry," he said in an overly dramatic tone. Harry couldn't help but laugh and do as he was told. Sirius spoke to him as he threw his things into his trunk. "So, did James send you?" he asked. "No, I guess you could say that this is a surprise visit," Harry edged. "And you just happened to decide to randomly come rescue his best friend along the way?" Padfoot questioned. "It wasn't so random. It's a long story though. One that I need to tell the two of you together," Harry explained.

Sirius gave him a questioning look as he threw the last of his things into the trunk. "Okay, but do I at least get a hint," Sirius asked, giving Harry puppy eyes. Harry chuckled before shaking his head. "Pretty please," Sirius said, getting on the bed and crawling to Harry. "With sugar on top?" Harry blushed as Sirius put their faces a little too close. It dawned on him that Sirius might be flirting with him as this was how most of the "Boy-Who-Lived" starstruck girls acted around him. Remus had told him that Sirius was bisexual and that he was a major flirt in school. "A hint? Fine," he thought for only a moment. "I think you and I have a future together," said Harry, trying to be clever. He then realized how that sounded and his eyes widened with a dark blush. Sirius let out a barking laugh and ruffled his hair. "Good to know," he said, winking at Harry. He then took his mother's wand from the floor, shrunk his things, and put them in his pocket. "Ministry has trouble tracking underage magic in a pureblood house, especially if it isn't done with the underage's wand," Sirius explained, dropping his mother's wand back by her head. "Shall we?" he asked, putting out his arm that he obviously expected Harry to take. Harry blushed but took his arm and allowed himself to be led from the house.

"So, are we heading to the Potter's?" Sirius asked. Harry nodded his head, marveling for a moment at how instantly comfortable Sirius was with him. "Alrighty then. They came to a halt a little ways away from the dark house. Have you ever side-along apparated before?" Sirius asked. "No, I didn't think fifth years learned that," Harry said, confused. "They usually don't," Sirius said with a mischievous smirk. "Okay, I'm going to need you to hold onto me very tightly. This is going to feel weird but it will be over quickly." Harry did as he was told, wrapping his arms around Sirius's waist as he did the same. He could hear Sirius chuckle in his ear before a weird squeezing feeling came over him. Harry couldn't help the panic that came over him but it was over as soon as it had started. Once everything was normal again, Harry kept his arms around Sirius until the dizziness wore off. Once he had recovered, he looked up to see Sirius smiling down at him, still wrapped in his arms. "You are really adorable, you know?" Sirius said, smiling broadly. Harry blushed and didn't bother to answer. He never really knew how to take compliments, especially the flirtatious kind.

"Is this the Potters?" he finally asked, unwinding his arms from Sirius. "Sure is," said the taller boy, gleefully. He quickly took Harry's hand and walked him to the door, a new bounce in his step now that they were out of Grimmauld Place. Sirius rapped on the door and it was only a second before a boy who looked _just like_ Harry appeared. "Padfoot!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around his mate. "Good to see you! Who's your…" but he was cut off once he looked at Harry. Now that Harry was looking at him closely, he noticed some stark differences that he was sure were Dursley oriented. For instance, Harry was much thinner and much shorter than James, almost looking sickly next to the boy, not to mention his eyes and the numerous cuts and bruises littering Harry's body. "What going on?" asked James, seeming to catch his bearings once more. "This here is Harry," Sirius said, throwing an arm over Harry's shoulders, Harry gave a small wince that did not go unnoticed by the two others. "He has something to tell us." James looked back and forth between them. "Well, alright. Come in then. We can go in the den," James said, leading the way. Harry gave a short sigh in relief. He didn't think this would go as smoothly as it was so far.

Once they were in the den, they sat closely in a circle on the floor, knees nearly touching. James was surveying Harry's visible injuries, making Harry wish he could sink into the floor. He was so used to his injuries that he often forgot how much attention they drew when others saw them. "I know that neither of you know me and what I have to say is going to sound crazy, but I need you to listen and _please_ try to believe me because what I'm telling you is true," Harry said, not continuing until he got a slow nod from both boys. "I...I came here from the future, with a time-turner," Harry said tentatively, pulling some papers out of his pocket. "This is my birth certificate and some papers declaring Sirius as my godfather." Harry laid out the papers for them all to see and looked up at their shocked faces. It took a while for either boy to respond and it was James who spoke first. "I'm going to be a dad in less than five years...with Lily?" he said, obviously trying to wrap his mind around it. Harry nodded, giving a slight sigh of relief. If James was asking that, it meant that he believed him.

Harry looked at Sirius to gauge his reaction and found confusion there. "Isn't it...really illegal and dangerous to time travel? I mean, this is cool and all, but...why are you here?" Sirius asked, looking both confused and concerned. Harry opened his mouth to answer several times, but there was nothing he could say that would be subtle. He looked over at his young father and found a similar expression as Sirius had. Suddenly, tears sprung to Harry's eyes and a wave of emotion he didn't even know was in him came forth. "I just...the future...it isn't right. It isn't fair. I don't get to know you, and when I do get a glimpse, you're gone again, and he takes you from me again. Your lives don't turn out the way that they should, and you don't deserve what happens to you. I mean, I don't even meet you and Sirius..," Harry sobbed. Somewhere in his mind, he knew that he was babbling nonsense as tears trekked down his bruised face. "It's all my fault! I have to fix it. It's worth the risk. Believe me it is. Because I really don't think that I could make the future any worse than it is now. It's all my fault...I need you. I needed you."

Harry's words were drowned in sobs, and some instinctual pull made Sirius wrap his arms around the smaller boy, tucking his head into the crook of his neck and stroking his hair softly. Harry, for once, allowed himself to indulge in the comfort of his godfather's embrace, basking in the fleeting security that followed. Sirius and James shot each other a concerned look over Harry's head. It was obvious the boy in Sirius's arms had been through the wringer. Once Harry had calmed down a bit, Sirius and James were finishing up a silent conversation. "Alright, Harry. Just tell us what we need to do," Sirius said, smiling softly at Harry. "Maybe just take it day by day," he suggested. "I don't want to change too much too quickly. Both boys nodded, and James scooched a little closer, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry flinched slightly but didn't protest or back away. "Harry, please tell us who did this to you," James said empathically. Harry bit his lip and looked up at him. "It was my aunt and uncle, mum's sister and her husband," he explained, instantly able to see the anger in both boy's eyes.

"We should take you to St. Mungo's," James started, causing panic to instantly grip Harry. "No! Please, no! I'll be fine, really," Harry pleaded. Vernon was extra cruel to Harry when he thought that he had told anyone what was happening, and though there was nothing they could really do in this time, Harry still felt uneasy having his wounds shown to the world. "Alright, Harry," Sirius said, stroking his hair once more. "We can try to do it, if you like. James and I have some training with Remus...you know Remus?" he questioned after trailing off. Harry smiled softly. "Yes, I know Remus and all about his time of the month issues," Harry said, causing James and Sirius to snigger. "Well, okay then. So you know that we have some practice with healing spells for him," James finished. "Yeah, because we don't want him to bleed to death before slow-poke Pomfrey can get to him," Sirius muttered. Harry gave him a quizzical look, surprised at the tone. "Padfoot here is _extremely_ protective. Anyone crosses someone he cares about and they'll find themselves hexed into the next dimension," James explained. "Well someone has to look after you prats!" said Sirius, grinning.

Harry smiled at the exchange and, all too soon, the other boys' gazes were on him. "So, Prongs, you take bruises. I'll take cuts," Sirius started, giving Harry a reassuring smile as he backed away a bit. "You don't have to. It will heal naturally, like always," said Harry, regretting it as the boys' eyes narrowed. "How long has this been happening?" James asked. Harry bit his lip, and mumbled something unintelligible. "What's that, Hare? Even Sirius's mutt hearing couldn't catch that." Harry looked at James and took a deep breath. "Since I was a year old."

Silence.

"Where the hell did we go?!" Sirius demanded, causing Harry to flinch away from him. Sirius took on a guilty look and James shook his head. "Let's just get him healed up and then we'll discuss it." Harry's father then went to work on the bruises littering Harry's face. "These are pretty deep, Hare, so this may sting a bit," James mumbled. Harry gave a short nod, preparing himself for the feeling, however, he felt a hand slide into his and the tension drained from his shoulders. He looked up at Sirius's concerned face and took a deep breath. He could feel the bruises healing and it did sting as the deeper parts receded. When he was finally finished, he ruffled Harry's hair and turned to Sirius. "Padfoot, you're up." Sirius nodded, stepping in-front of Harry so that he was even closer than James had been. Harry looked up in those beautiful grey eyes and blinked, surprised at their depth. He hadn't realized how much Azkaban had dulled those orbs and he was determined to change that this time around.

Sirius glided his wand over the cuts across Harry's face with ease, finishing with his split lip. Sirius stared at his lips for a moment after he had healed them. For a fleeting moment, Harry wanted Sirius to kiss him, then realizing what he was thinking, he jerked back in panic, hitting his back hard against the coffee table behind him. An involuntary cry escaped his throat as the table hit several bruises, and he pulled his knees up to his chest to guard him from the onslaught of pain he thought was coming. "Harry!" the other boys exclaimed, reaching for him at the same time. The whimper that escaped the boy when they touched him broke their hearts. After a moment of unsure silence, it was Sirius who spoke up first. "Hare, I know you really don't want to show us, but will you please let us heal your back? We just don't want you to be in pain anymore." After what felt like a long while, Harry nodded, slowly bringing his face back into view.

James and Sirius slowly pulled Harry away from the coffee table and peeled off his shirt. What they found underneath the garment made a murderous look cross Sirius's face and tears well up in James's eyes. Who could do this to his son? Harry looked so small, as if he had grown up in a box with very little food. The thought that this could be the very case made his stomach clench painfully. He sincerely hoped that whatever Harry had in mind would work because he would do anything to change the future that held this much pain for his son. Once James had recovered some, he began to work on the boy's back, watching as Sirius pulled out of his own thoughts and started to work on Harry's front. The smaller boy was littered with deep bruises and cuts that appeared to have been done by a belt buckle. This made James and Sirius sick as they continued mending the wounds, attempting the older looking ones as well even though there was little they could do with scars that appeared to be nearly a decade old. God, how long had Harry been put through this? James shook his head. Once they had done all they could do, Sirius and James wrapped their arms around Harry, cocooning him. There was too much emotion running between the three boys for much to be said. "Things will be different now, Harry. I promise," Sirius said into his hair. "Me too," supplied James, fighting back tears as he held his future son in a tight embrace. For the first time in possibly forever, Harry allowed himself to truly feel loved. It didn't take long for Harry to fall asleep in their arms, the healing having taken much of his energy. Sirius picked him up bridal style and followed James into one of the many guest rooms in the house and they gently tucked the boy in, knowing that this was the beginning of one hell of a ride.

 **Reviews:**

NumberOneMGGfan \- Thank you! I'm really excited for this too! It's been a while since I was so excited to write something.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Harry was slowly waking up to the sounds of voices. He groaned, thinking for a moment that it was the Dursleys and that he hadn't gotten up to make their breakfast on time. He was surely in for a beating and was contemplating whether he should get up at all. As he gained more awareness, however, he realized that he was not in his usual amount of pain and he was on a fluffy mattress with a large, warm, Gryffindor colored comforter on top of him. He sat up quickly, the events from the day before rushing back to him. He found a note on the bedside table that read,

Dearest Harry,

Once thee maiden wakes from his beauty slumber

Shut up, Padfoot!

Harry, the bathroom is full of whatever you need. I've set out some clothes that I think will fit you. Don't forget that we leave for school at eleven. Come and join us for breakfast when you're ready.

-James and the mutt

Harry grinned at the letter, folding it up and intending to tuck it into his pocket once he had some on. He wanted to keep every scrap of his life with his father and godfather that he could. After washing up and getting dressed, he nervously made his way into the kitchen. "You're going to make me burn it!" James hissed. "Like you need help in that department," Sirius shot. "Hey! I am an excellent chef!" James said indignantly. Sirius scoffed. "Yeah, if you like ash." Sirius then looked up from the frying pan James was cooking in. "Ah, good morning, sunshine!" Sirius said overly joyful with a large grin on his face. "Morning," Harry mumbled a little embarrassed about the previous night's events. James turned around and gave a warm smile. "Hey, there's pancakes on the table. Sirius made them, and I promise as much as I _hate_ to admit it, he is a better cook than me," James said, scraping whatever black tar he managed to make into the garbage. "Ah ha! He admits it! Victory is mine!" Sirius shouted. James rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure you'll make someone an excellent house mutt someday," he deadpanned. Harry grinned as Sirius flicked some of the burned black substance at James and James proceeded to swat at him with a dishtowel.

As they settled down at the table, digging into the mountain of pancakes Sirius created, they began to talk. "So, where are your parents?" Harry asked James, wondering why he hadn't seen them yet. "They are aurors, so they go on missions a lot," James shrugged. "That reminds me, do you have your school things?" James continued. "Yes, I brought them with me and flood them to the Gryffindor Common Room," Harry explained. Sirius and James grinned broadly at him. "What?" Harry asked self consciously. "I'm so proud of you! A Gryffindor!" James said, a huge grin plastered on his face as he ruffled Harry's unruly hair. Harry resisted the urge to flinch when James first touched him. He was afraid that if he showed any fear, they would be disappointed in him or worry about him unnecessarily. "So…" Sirius continued, "We were thinking on the train, that we could bring anyone into our compartment that you wanted to talk to. Remus, Peter, Lily." Harry froze but gathered his bearings quickly. He knew that Peter was going to be involved in this and that he'd better get used to seeing him.

"Remus, definitely," Harry started, "but not Peter. And I don't really see any reason to tell mum. At least not yet." James blinked at Harry calling Lily mum. It was strange but it also sent a warm feeling in his chest. "Why not Peter?" Sirius asked, wondering why Remus was okay but Peter wasn't. James and Sirius glanced at each other when they noticed a dark look on Harry's face. "I promise I'll tell you soon, but please trust me and don't tell Peter anything about this. In that case, I wouldn't tell Peter anything important ever again…" Sirius and James gave him looks that made Harry squirm, but each boy decided that Harry knew best, seeing as he knew how everything would pan out for them anyway.

When they were finished with breakfast, Sirius, Harry, and James all went back upstairs to help James pack. "Honestly, Prongs. Must you always wait until the last minute?" Sirius grumbled, throwing clothes unceremoniously into James's trunk. James simply ignored him which caused Sirius to throw a comb at him, which caused James to throw a toothbrush at him, accidentally hitting Harry, which caused Harry to throw a shirt at James, accidently hitting Sirius, and then an all out war ensued. The battle ended when Harry slung a pair of boxers that fell over Sirius's head. James and Harry burst into laughter at the sight of Sirius with his head covered with underwear. "Oh, you think this is funny?" Sirius asked, Harry froze, afraid that he had actually done something wrong. However, a second later, he was being tackled to the floor and being tickled mercilessly. "No, please...stop. Daddddd...get him off...me," he said between giggles. James merely grinned down at him, a flicker of amusement in his eye at being called 'dad.' "Sorry, kiddo. No can do. Once a Marauder declares revenge, it must be fulfilled." Sirius continued to tickle the squirming Harry. "Say 'I am deeply sorry for messing up Sirius's luxurious hair. He is the greatest puppy of them all," Sirius ordered, stopping his tickling for just long enough to say it. Harry spoke breathlessly between giggles. "I am deeply sorry for messing up Sirius's luxurious hair. He is the greatest mutt of them all," Harry laughed, causing James to laugh loudly behind them. Sirius paused, looking affronted for a moment before transforming into the large dog that was Padfoot. With his front paws on Harry's shoulders, he licked Harry's face all over. "Uck! Padfoot!" Harry exclaimed wiping his face. Sirius transformed again, grinning down at Harry.

"If you two are quite finished flirting, we have to leave in twenty minutes," James said, throwing more stuff into the trunk. Harry blushed darkly but Sirius only grinned wider. The taller boy stood, holding out a hand to help Harry up. Harry took the offered hand and stood, looking up at Sirius with a mixture of wonder and embarrassment. James seemed to study them for a moment before grabbing a smaller bag. "Harry, could you put this by the front door for me please?" he asked, handing it to Harry. "Sure."

Once Harry was out the door, James turned to Sirius. "I swear, Padfoot, if you hurt him…" he started. "Prongsy, do you really think I'd…" but he stopped at the look James gave him. Sirius looked down suddenly looking quite serious. "I like him, James. It's funny. I've never felt so instantly fond or protective of someone before. I just...in this short amount of time he's made me feel things that I didn't think I could," Sirius shrugged. "I sound like a sap," he finished. James grinned at him. "I think you sound like you're in love. I believe in love at first sight. It's how I fell for Lily, and look, I had a kid with her," he joked, Sirius chuckled. "I didn't say it couldn't happen, Sirius. I just said not to hurt him," James said sincerely. "I won't. I promise."

It wasn't long before they were on the Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Harry began to nervously flatten his bangs over his scar, forgetting for a moment that none of these people knew of the Boy-Who-Lived. He could just be Harry here. Sirius watched Harry try to cover the odd scar on his forehead, making a mental note to ask about it at some point. Suddenly, they heard a clear, melodic voice call over the crowd. "James!" A second later, a blur of red hair sped into James's arms and he twirled her. "Lily flower!" Sirius playfully made a gagging noise behind them before winking at Harry. "They just got their act together at the end of last term, before that she didn't seem that fond of him," Sirius whispered in Harry's ear. Harry grinned watching his mother let go of James and turn to them. "Hello, Sirius and...James's twin?" she looked to James. "Uh...this is my cousin, Harry," James said, thinking fast. Delight quickly replaced the confusion on Lily's face and she pulled Harry into a hug. "It's nice to meet you, Harry. I'm Lily." Harry smiled bashfully at her as she let go of him. She was really beautiful and it was odd to see her like this, so young and happy, and having absolutely no idea who he was.

"Now I'm feeling left out," Sirius pouted, causing Lily to roll her eyes and wrap him in a hug as well. "It's good to see you, Sirius. I hope you had a good summer," Lily smiled. "Of course, you as well," Sirius responded. Harry looked at him a moment, remembering watching Sirius's mother torture him for even being friends with Lily. He didn't understand how anyone could be so heartless. The friendship between Sirius and Lily was innocent and sweet. When a group of girls began to beckon Lily over to their group, Lily kissed James on the cheek. "I'll see you later, love. It was nice to meet you, Harry," she added as she walked away. "You too," Harry said, barely loud enough for anyone to hear. He was beginning to feel overwhelmed at all of this, but before he could ponder on the feeling any longer, an arm wrapped around his waist. "Let's go find a compartment, shall we?" he asked, smiling down at Harry and looking up at James. James nodded too busy staring after Lily. "Come on, love bird," Sirius called to James over his shoulder as he guided Harry towards the train. "Like you have any room to talk," he muttered. As they got into a compartment, and James and Sirius put their things away. James and Sirius sat with Sirius's legs draped over James's lap as Harry sat across from them. "Why can't you go invade Harry's personal space?" James complained. "Because Harry may not be used to my oh so subtle advances yet," Sirius explained. James rolled his eyes. "In case you haven't figured it out yet, Sirius is gayest mutt at Hogwarts. I promise he doesn't flirt with _everybody_ , just his friends and the people he feels comfortable with...and McGonagall," James finished rolling his eyes and causing Sirius to snigger. "Excuse you, James, but I am the bi-est mutt at Hogwarts! And even though I do tend to flirt with a lot of people, I only mean it with a few," he finished winking at Harry. Harry blushed immediately, wondering if Sirius truly meant what that seemed to have meant. It wasn't as though he had never thought about it before. He had decided last year that he didn't really have a preference and that he liked things about boys and things about girls, not to mention Sirius was very handsome, especially in this time.

They had only been there for a few minutes when the compartment door slid open revealing a boy about the same height as Sirius with light brown hair, dark bags under his eyes, and scars running over his face. Harry recognized him immediately as Remus. "Moony!" James and Sirius sang, both wrapping their arms around him from opposite sides and rocking back and forth rather over dramatically. "The full moon was less than a week ago, guys. Love me a little less please," Remus said, but there was obvious amusement in his voice. "Oh, Moon. I hope it wasn't too terrible without us," Sirius said. "You know it was," he muttered suddenly looking up at Harry. A panicked look crossed his face before Sirius whispered something in his ear. A second later Remus looked calmer but not completely. The two boys released Remus and James helped him with his trunk. Before they could settle again, another boy appeared, this one Harry recognizing all too quickly. He watched with disgust as all three boys greeted just as warmly as they had greeted Remus. Harry wondered how on earth he was going to tell them that this boy that they obviously cared about so much would be the reason James and Lily died, the reason Sirius would spend over a decade in hell, the reason Remus would be left all alone in one night, and lastly the reason Harry had to grow up with his abusive relatives.

Sirius watched Harry after he finished hugging Peter. Harry's eyes were fixed on Peter with a mixture of anger and pain. So much pain in those beautiful eyes. What on earth could little Peter have done to put so much pain in those eyes. Sirius stepped between Harry's line of vision and Peter. "Are you alright?" he asked, putting his hands on Harry's shoulders, looking with concern into his eyes. "Yeah, I just...I know you don't understand it yet, but it's going to be hard for me to get used to being around him," Harry was going to say ' _and not kill him_ ' but he didn't want to scare Sirius. To his surprise, Sirius wrapped his arms around him. "It will be okay. We'll fix it," he mumbled, stroking Harry's hair. It reminded Harry of the conversation he had with Sirius at Christmas break when he told him how angry he was all the time. Sirius had immediately calmed his fears just like he had done now. He'd always had this feeling that as long as he had Sirius, he would be okay. But in his time, he didn't have Sirius, so unless he did this right, he wouldn't be okay. "Hey, Peter. We need to discuss some things for your birthday that's coming up. Can you go play Exploding Snap with Frank or something?" James asked. Peter looked at him, confused. "My birthday isn't for three months." "We know, we just wanted to get a head start this year," James lied. Peter shrugged and left, much to Harry's relief.

"What'd you get rid of Peter for?" Remus asked. At this point, Sirius had let go of Harry and they sat down beside each other across from Remus and James. "We have something to tell you and Harry here isn't comfortable with telling Peter. Oh! By the way, this is Harry," Sirius added, ruffling Harry's hair. "Hello, Harry. Are you related to James?" he asked. "Yes, I'm his son," Harry said, coming right out with it. Remus studied him for a moment. "If this is a prank, it's not a very good one," he announced looking directly at James. "It's not a prank," James shook his head, "Harry traveled back in time. He has his birth certificate and everything. Padfoot here is his godfather even." Remus looked stunned. He studied Harry for another moment. "Lily is your mother?" he asked, Harry nodded, knowing that Remus recognized his eyes. "Why are you here?" he asked. "The future isn't good for you guys, any of you. I don't really see how I could make the future much worse, so I came here to try and change it," Harry finished. Remus nodded solemnly. "How many of us are dead?" he asked, not missing a beat. "Two," Harry said simply, Sirius and James looked shocked. Sirius put an arm around Harry's waist, feeling the boy trembling slightly, tears sprung to Harry's eyes once again. "I couldn't bear it anymore. Time traveling seemed like a better way to get away than…" but he couldn't say it. He couldn't scare them like he had scared Remus in the future, but he didn't have to. Realization shown on each boy's face in turn, starting with Remus and ending with James.

They sat in silence for a while, Sirius's arm still wrapped protectively around Harry, squeezing him a bit tighter now. James looked like he wanted to wrap his arms around Harry as well and never let go and Remus looked ready to hit something. Finally, it was Sirius who spoke. "You have a new family now. You don't ever have to go back if you don't want to." James and Remus nodded in agreement and Harry sniffled. He nodded and wrapped his arms around Sirius and buried his face in the crook of his neck. He was so relieved that these boys had believed him and accepted him so quickly.

It wasn't long before Harry was asleep in Sirius's arms and Remus was asleep against the wall with James's coat draped over him. James and Sirius were talking quietly as not to wake their companions. "I just can't believe how much he seems to have been through," James muttered, shaking his head and staring at his son who was sleeping contentedly against Sirius. "The scars...some of them old, some new. It's like he's never caught a break in his life," Sirius whispered, stroking said boy's hair. "We have to make things better for him, James. We have to protect him, give him a proper family, and...I don't want Dumbledore sending him back," Sirius finished. "Oh, I agree," James said, nodding. "That's why I think we should stick to my story. Harry is my cousin and he has decided to come to Hogwarts this year." Sirius nodded. "Do you…" Sirius started, and James looked at him expectantly. "Do you think I'm coming on too strong with him? I don't want to scare him away." James looked for a moment as though he were about to make a joke but thought better of it. "I think Harry needs to know what love and affection feels like. Maybe, traditionally, you two are going a bit fast, but I think it's what Harry needs, especially after what he admitted to us," James finished, looking sad all of a sudden. Sirius nodded and kissed the top of Harry's head softly. A minute later, the compartment door slid open.


	4. Chapter 4

Severus Snape appeared where the door had been closed. His hair was chin-length and as greasy as ever. He looked around the compartment and sneered. "Well...well...well. What do we have here?" he drawled. "A couple of arrogant gits, the tattered sickly one, and...a new mudblood, Black?" He lifted an eyebrow at the sight of Harry asleep against Sirius. "Don't call him that!" Sirius hissed sharply, glaring daggers at Snape. The Slytherin sneered before taking a threatening step towards Harry and Sirius, but his path was quickly blocked by an angry looking James. "You won't come near him, Snivellus. Ever," James said sharply, pointing his wand in between Snape's eyes. Snape sneered at him. "We'll see about that, Potter!" he said, loud enough to wake Harry but not Remus. Snape was gone by the time Harry was aware of his surroundings. "What's going on?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "Nothing, just a greasy git Slytherin," James muttered, sitting back down next to Remus and adjusting the coat around the tired boy. Sirius brushed a dark lock out of Harry's eyes, smiling at him softly. Harry looked at him, surprisingly content with their comfort and proximity to each other.

As they journeyed closer to Hogwarts, Peter rejoined their compartment, much to Harry's displeasure. Sirius immediately felt the boy stiffen next to him and gave him a concerned look. "Are you guys finished talking about my birthday?" Peter asked. James nodded and watched as Peter took the seat next to him, wondering what on earth Peter could have done to make Harry distrust him so much. Thankfully, the train soon stopped in front of the gates of the castle and all of the boys stood, including an awake, but groggy, Remus. The air outside the train was warm and Harry looked around, smiling at the familiar setting. His glee was short lived, however, when someone sent an elbow into his ribcage. The sudden pain caused Harry to flinch violently, nearly falling backwards, but thankfully being caught by an irate looking Sirius. "Bellatrix!" he barked, keeping his arms around Harry's waist. Harry was shaking ever so slightly. His brief stay with Sirius and James had already caused Harry's anticipation for pain to lessen, making the sudden jolt more jarring.

At Sirius's bark, a hateful looking girl in green robes turned around, "Yes, dear cousin," she said, feigning innocence. "Unless you would like me to let slip to _Uncle Orion_ who you _really_ spent your summer with, I strongly suggest that you _stay away_ from Harry and the rest of us," Sirius finished, gesturing over his shoulder at the rest of the Marauders. Bellatrix pursed her lips, gave Sirius a hateful look, and turned on her heel to leave. "She spent her summer with a half-blood and told the family he was a pureblood in Romania," he whispered conspiratorially in Harry's ear, expecting him to laugh. To his surprise, Harry had a look of hatred on his face, almost worse than the one he gave Peter, and he looked like he was ready to chase after Bellatrix. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, squeezing Harry around the waist. Harry looked at him, surprise on his face for a moment before he nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," he assured.

The Marauders and Harry climbed into a carriage, Harry, Sirius, and Remus on one side, and Peter and James on the other. To Harry's delight, Lily climbed in next to James, across from him. "Hello, love," James greeted, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her forehead. "Hello, James," she said, smiling at him affectionately before she turned to Harry. "So, are you excited to be starting at Hogwarts?" she asked. "Oh, yeah. Really excited," Harry answered, smiling at his mother. "Good! If you have any trouble getting around, don't hesitate to ask me for anything!" she said kindly. "Thanks, M-Lily," Harry said, blushing at his slip. Thankfully the only ones who seemed to notice were James, Sirius, and Remus, and they all smiled at him knowingly.

Once they reached Hogwarts and got out of the carriages, James and Sirius appeared on either side of Harry. "We'll walk you to Dumbledore's office," James explained, "Listen, I think you should stick to the cousin story, yeah?" Harry nodded. "Yeah, I don't want him to try and make me go back," Harry said, nodding his head. He wasn't sure he could handle being sent back right now. He was only just getting to know all of the people who really meant something in his life. Despite the fact that he knew exactly where Dumbledore's office was, he allowed James and Sirius to guide him, following in their easy rhythm.

After naming all of the candies they could think of, they were finally granted entrance when James said Cockroach Clusters with a sour look on his face. The older Potter led the way, followed by Harry and Sirius. Harry smiled as he spotted the headmaster, looking a little younger than when he had last seen him. "Ah, hello, boys! In my office already?" Dumbledore asked, smiling all the while. "Hello, headmaster," James greeted. "I wanted to introduce you to my cousin Harry. He is starting at Hogwarts this year." Dumbledore's eyes moved to Harry and his brows instantly rose. "Very well," he said, snapping his fingers. They watched as the Sorting Hat flew into his hand. "What year are you, Harry?" he asked. "Sixth, sir," Harry answered, his gaze never wavering from the headmaster. "Very well. Please put this on before Professor McGonagall takes it for the first years," he said, placing it on Harry's head.

"Well, hello, weary traveler," the hat murmured in his ear. "Yes, yes. I know exactly where to put you. GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted around the large office. James and Sirius grinned as the hat was pulled off of Harry's head. Dumbledore looked upon them all with a bemused expression. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Harry. I'm sure Mr. Black and Mr. Potter will have no trouble showing you around." Harry smiled as said boys draped an arm around his shoulder from opposite sides. "Thank you, headmaster," he said and he was quickly steared out the door. "Brilliant!" Sirius exclaimed, once they were out of earshot, ruffling Harry's unruly hair.

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